Fighting against the decline: 150,000 stem cell donors are missing in BW!

Fighting against the decline: 150,000 stem cell donors are missing in BW!

The search for stem cell donors is becoming increasingly difficult. In Baden-Württemberg, for example, the German Bone Marrow Donor Registry (DKMS) has recorded a decline of 150,000 registered donors. This has a direct impact on help for blood cancer patients, because every 12 minutes someone in Germany is confronted with this terrible diagnosis. The demographic change and the age structure of the donors make it difficult for DKMS to reach the required number of donors.

Young people have a special role to play here. Donors under the age of 30 are particularly popular as they are often requested. According to the figures from [stuttgarter-nachrichten.de](https://www.stuttgarter-nachrichten.de/content.baden-wuerttemberg-150000-stammzellenspender-weniger-nach Growth-missing.163dda9a-3a80-4986-8ca7-a4a8f6567908.html), 66,000 people left in 2019 due to age the donor file, there were 86,000 in 2021 and 101,000 in 2022. A further increase to 135,000 registered departures is forecast in 2024.

How does stem cell donation work?

Stem cells are the precursors of all blood cells and play a crucial role in blood formation. During a stem cell transplant, diseased bone marrow is replaced with healthy cells from a donor. There are two main methods: peripheral stem cell collection, which is usually analogous to blood donation, and bone marrow collection, which requires anesthesia. Before both procedures, the donors undergo a comprehensive medical suitability test.

In the peripheral method, the donor is given a drug that stimulates the production of stem cells. This method is the most commonly used, while bone marrow sampling is rare. Although both procedures are associated with certain risks, such as pain or temporary inconvenience, the overall health risk is considered low, as zdfheute.de reports.

• Alter: Der Spender muss zwischen 18 und 61 Jahren alt sein.
• Gesundheit: Bestimmte Vorerkrankungen schließen eine Spende aus, darunter schwere Herz- oder Lungenerkrankungen.
• Prozess: Die Registrierung erfolgt über einen Wangenschleimhaut-Abstrich.

DKMS's committed and ongoing commitment to education, especially in schools, plays an important role in recruiting new donors. The organization recorded over 600,000 new registrations in 2019 alone, with daily registrations now at around 1,900 people. There are already over 12.5 million registered donors worldwide, of which more than 7.8 million are active in Germany.

Challenges and opportunities

The current situation is forcing DKMS to find innovative ways to reach younger target groups. Raising awareness about the impending shortage of donors and the enormous health challenges that blood cancer patients face is essential. Every registration can help save someone’s life.

Given that someone worldwide is diagnosed with blood cancer every 27 seconds, it's more important than ever to get registered. The DKMS therefore continues to work actively to increase the number of possible donors and to draw attention to the need for stem cell donations.

Finally, all that remains to say is: If you are between the ages of 18 and 61 and are healthy, registering as a stem cell donor could be the decisive step in saving lives. Let's fight blood cancer together!